NOTE: SINCE POSTING THIS INTERVIEW, LOVERBOY HAVE CANCELLED THEIR AUSTRALIAN TOUR DUE TO BAND MEMBER ILLNESS (5/2/2026)
Canadian rock icons Loverboy will finally make their long-awaited Australian debut this March at the 2026 Wanstock Festival, and according to keyboardist Doug Johnson, it’s a moment decades in the making, for both the band and their Australian fans.
Speaking with Australian Musician’s Greg Phillips, Johnson admits there’s no clear reason why Loverboy never toured Australia during their peak years, despite enjoying enormous success here. The band earned gold and platinum sales locally for classics like Turn Me Loose and Working for the Weekend, accolades Johnson still regards as a novelty and point of pride. Having toured extensively across North America, Europe, Japan and South America, Australia remained the one glaring omission. “I guess you save the best for last,” he laughs.
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Now, more than 45 years into the band’s career, finally touching down in Australia feels like both an honour and a celebration. Johnson, who has spent time living in Melbourne in the past, speaks fondly of the country, its people, landscapes and sense of kinship with Canada. That familiarity, combined with Australia being an English-speaking country with a deep love of rock music, makes the upcoming tour especially meaningful.
Fans attending Loverboy’s first Australian shows can expect a setlist packed with what Johnson affectionately calls the band’s “Dirty Dozen”, the songs that have stood the test of time and defined Loverboy’s legacy. Rather than reinventing the wheel, the band embraces its role as a musical time machine, transporting audiences back to formative moments of their lives. Staples such as The Kid Is Hot Tonite, Queen of the Broken Hearts, Take Me to the Top, and the ever-reliable heavy hitters Working for the Weekend, Lovin’ Every Minute of It and Turn Me Loose will form the backbone of the show, with the possibility of a few surprises if the mood and rehearsals allow.
Reflecting on Loverboy’s journey, Johnson recalls the band’s humble beginnings in Vancouver, their early rejection by record labels, and the breakthrough moment that led to a CBS deal and a debut album produced by Bruce Fairbairn. What followed was a whirlwind of relentless touring alongside acts like Journey, Kansas, Cheap Trick and ZZ Top, eventually propelling Loverboy into arena-level success throughout the 1980s. After burnout led to a hiatus, the band reunited in the early ’90s for a fundraising show for a friend, a decision that unexpectedly reignited their live career and has kept them on the road ever since.
Today, Loverboy continues to tour with gratitude rather than ego, a shift Johnson attributes to both age and perspective. That same evolution is reflected in his approach to gear, having transitioned from massive analog keyboard rigs of the ’80s to streamlined modern setups built around software and meticulously sampled original sounds, a practical move that keeps the show consistent while surviving the realities of touring.
For Johnson, the goal of the Australian tour is simple: connection. He hopes fans leave their first Loverboy concert with a sense of uplift, nostalgia and joy, revisiting moments tied to the band’s music and carrying that feeling with them afterward. “If we can give them that feeling back,” he says, “that’s a gift we can give to our fans.”
With decades of hits, a renewed appreciation for the journey, and an audience that’s waited patiently for their arrival, Loverboy’s inaugural Australian tour promises to be both long overdue and deeply rewarding.
Tickets for Wanstock Melbourne are on sale now from www.wanstock.com.au/ and Sydney from https://selinas.com.au/.
WANSTOCK 2026
FRI 20 MARCH | SELINA’S, COOGEE NSW | 18+
Tickets available from https://selinas.com.au/
LOVERBOY (CAN)
CHOIRBOYS
TAXIRIDE FEAT. JASON SINGH
VENTURA
FRI 20 MARCH | SHOPPINGTOWN HOTEL, DONCASTER VIC | 18+
Tickets available from www.wanstock.com.au/
1927
DRAGON
BACHELOR GIRL
STONETRIP
STRAIT SHOOTERS
SAT 21 MARCH | SHOPPINGTOWN HOTEL, DONCASTER VIC | 18+
Tickets available from https://www.wanstock.com.au/
LOVERBOY (CAN)
PSEUDO ECHO
TAXIRIDE FEAT. JASON SINGH
STANDING ROOM ONLY
DAYDREAMERS
LOVERBOY
1927
Follow Wanstock https://www.wanstock.com.au/